Maybe Baby
by Hogwarts Duo
Summary: Minerva McGonagall has been acting strangely for the past several weeks and now Albus Dumbledore has started too. What could be the cause? ADMM, PPAM
1. Default Chapter

**_Maybe Baby_**

**Disclaimer:** All of the characters belong to the amazing JKR. We're just borrowing them at the moment!

**Summary:** Minerva McGonagall has been acting strangely for the past several week and now Albus Dumbledore has started too. What could be the cause? AD/MM, PP/AM

**Cure For A Common Cold...**

The morning sun was just beginning to peep over the mountains surrounding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the first rays of sunlight began to stream into the darkened room, Minerva McGonagall stirred. She had slept well for the first night in weeks and had wonderful dreams but she had not been feeling quite right for the last few days. Carefully removing herself from the warm arms of her husband, Albus Dumbledore, she decided to pay Poppy Pomfrey an early morning visit.

After quickly dressing, she wrote a short note and placed it on her pillow for Albus to find when he awoke. She was sure that she was coming down with a simple cold and there was no need to worry him unnecessarily.

_Dearest,_

_I woke very early this morning and could not go back to sleep. I didn't want to wake you so I have gone to my study to look over my lesson plans for today. I will meet you at breakfast. I love you, handsome!_

_M_

Looking back over her shoulder, she found it hard to resist the urge to cross the room and plant a good morning kiss on his soft lips. But, since she was trying not to wake him, she forced herself to exit the room, leaving him safely tucked in the comfortable bed, deep in sleep.

As she entered the infirmary, the room was quiet. She was puzzled at first. Poppy was usually up at this hour and then she heard a noise coming from the medi-witch's private office. Calling out to her friend and colleague, she was surprised when the woman appeared, looking a bit flustered, in the doorway.

"Poppy, you look like I feel this morning. What's the matter with you?"

"Thank you Minerva for the compliment." Realizing that she had been a bit more sarcastic than she intended, Poppy quickly offered an apology and explained that Minerva had taken her by surprise. In an attempt to divert the conversation towards something other than her appearance, she began to inquire as to the reason Minerva was visiting at such an early hour.

"I am sorry to disturb you this early but I think I might be coming down with a cold or some sort of virus and I was wondering if there was something you could give me." After several diagnostic spells had been conducted, Poppy informed her friend that her body showed no signs of an infection or other maladies. Then something caused her to make a simple request.

"Minerva, describe your symptoms for me once more." Minutes later, Poppy Pomfrey announced that there was one remaining test that could be performed but it would take a little while to get the results. Modern wizarding medicine could practically stifle a common cold but there were some areas desperately in need of improvement. And this was one of them. "As a matter of fact Minerva, I was just about to take the same test when you waltzed into my hospital wing and scared me to death. I thought you were Alastor for a moment."

"For Merlin's sake, Poppy! What sort of test are you talking about? And Alastor is your husband...why would you want to keep an illness from him?" As the medi-witch peered at Minerva, the full impact of her own words rang through her head..._for the same reason I didn't tell Albus. I don't want to worry him._ Noticing that her friend had answered her own question, Poppy proceeded to tell Minerva that they would take their pregnancy tests together...for moral support.

"Pregnancy test," exclaimed Minerva! "You can't be serious, Poppy. I've just got a little cold that is affecting my body. I can't be...well I mean I could be...but I just don't think...oh Poppy, I don't know what to think."

"Minerva, you and I both have all of the symptoms and it's not uncommon for witches our ages to give birth. Look at how late your parents conceived you! And mine weren't exactly in the flush of youth when my brother was born."

"Have you told Alastor yet?" Poppy raised her eyebrows but focused her attention to the floor. "I take it by your silence that the answer is a definite no. But why?"

"I'm not sure. I suppose I wanted to make certain before I told him this sort of thing. We haven't been married that long and I would really like some more time with him before we start our family. But I could ask you why you didn't tell Albus that you thought you were sick, now could I? But the question should be, will you tell him about the pregnancy test?"

"It will depend on the outcome. No sense in all of us worrying over what may or may not be the case. Besides, if I am pregnant, I think I'd like to surprise him...so what do you say we get this over and done with? The sooner we start, the sooner we will know for sure...both of us."

After a few stressful moments, the two women emerged from the inner offices and Poppy promised to have the results right after lunch. As Minerva made her way towards the doorway, she bumped into Alastor Moody. Not wanting to give away any secrets, she made a feeble excuse about Albus not feeling well and headed hurriedly towards her office in case her husband decided to check on her.

Half an hour later, Minerva still had not seen Albus, which meant that he had slept late. She was glad because for the past several weeks, she had unintentionally kept him awake with her tossing and turning in bed. As she entered the Great Hall, the smells of a variety of foods hit her dainty nose and her stomach began to churn. To keep from becoming ill, Minerva had to use all of her inner strength to keep her composure. When she reached the Head Table, she found that Albus had already filled her plate with generous helpings of breakfast items. He had been silently worried about her lately because of her sudden loss of appetite, especially in the mornings and this morning he was going to make certain that she ate.

It was all she could do to eat one of the blueberry muffins placed on her plate by her adoring husband. The rest of the food had been discreetly banished when he wasn't looking. She had been doing this for days now and he had yet to grasp on to her deception. Once again using the excuse of catching up on some last minute work, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze and made her way back to her office, where she would try to settle her stomach before classes began.

Meanwhile, Alastor Moody was busy asking dozens of questions of his wife, Poppy Pomfrey. He had noticed her looking a bit worn out and feared that she was working too hard. When she quickly snapped at him, he decided to drop the subject and to inquire about Albus' health. Having not been privy to the private conversation between her husband and friend, Poppy suggested that he had misunderstood Minerva in that she was the one seeking medical attention. Upon further questioning, the experienced medi-witch accidentally told him that the Transfiguration teacher had taken a pregnancy test but that it was not common knowledge among the staff. And that it should remain that way!

Moody had been friends with Albus Dumbledore for years so it was completely natural for him to feel excited for the happy couple at the prospect of finally becoming parents. He was so happy for them that he wanted to be the first to congratulate the soon father to be so he briskly made his way to the Headmaster's office.

"Alastor, to what do I owe this great honor this morning?" Motioning for his friend to take the offered seat, Albus was shocked when Alastor gave him a firm handshake, coupled with a broad smile and words of congratulations. A bit confused Albus peered over the rim of his half-moon spectacles at the man before him.

"Ahh...sorry but Poppy accidentally told me this morning that Minerva had come in for a pregnancy test. I know I'm not supposed to know this news yet but I wanted to be the first to congratulate you both. Now, where is Minerva? Resting I hope." Albus Dumbledore had never experienced so many emotions in one split second in all his life but at this particular moment his head was full of swirling thoughts...most of them centered on Minerva.

Taking the offered words of congratulations and trying to act as if he had known all along, Albus subtly questioned Alastor for more information. But he was soon disappointed to learn that he had already shared what little news he had. Before long, Alastor had left and Albus was left trying to make sense of the last few weeks.

Now that the subject was before him, it all made sense. Minerva not eating, her lack of sleep, the increase in mood swings. Slumping into his large chair, a silly grin took over his entire face and the twinkle in his eyes was even more pronounced. However, a thought struck him. _Obviously Minerva wants to tell me in a special way. Therefore I must pretend not to know and act surprised when she does inform me. But I have to ensure that she is taking proper care of herself._ At the muggle clock chimed the quarter hour, he was snapped from his musings and was consumed with an urge to see his beloved wife and to hold her in his arms. Since her class would be ending soon, he decided to pay her an unexpected visit.

As the last of her students left the classroom, Albus crossed the room and pulled Minerva into his arms. "Have I told you today how much I adore you?" Planting a gentle kiss on her cheek, he was sternly reprimanded for taking such a risk without locking the door. With a wave of his hand he remedied the situation and proceeded to lavish his wife with several tender caresses about the face and neck.

"Albus, I love you too but what had gotten into you today? You know better than to make such bold moves when anyone could walk into my classroom and see us."

"You weren't in my arms this morning when I awoke and I did not have the opportunity to give you a proper good morning kiss. So, I thought I would correct the oversight. Are you complaining?" Assuring him that she enjoyed the spontaneous display of love, he gave her one last passionate kiss then released her. Knowing her routine, he scooped her stack of books from her desk and turned to face her. "I thought I would escort you to your study, my dear. And it would give me great pleasure if you would allow me to carry your books for you." Blushing a bit at his act of chivalry, Minerva nodded her head in approval and took her place beside him as they strolled down the corridor to her office.

She had only been sitting in her private quarters for an hour when a familiar knock drew her attention away from her parchment. Recognizing the footsteps and the sound of their special knock, Minerva smiled and waited for Albus to appear in the doorway.

"Are you still working hard on those papers? Here, let me finish grading them while you go to our rooms and take a quick nap before lunch. I know how tired you must be. I mean, you haven't been sleeping well and a quick sleep will do you good."

A puzzled look flashed in her eyes and for a moment Albus was certain that he had given away his little secret. But just as quickly as the look appeared, it had vanished again and the stern professor that he had fallen in love with so many years ago appeared once again.

"Albus, I assure you I am fine. And you are one to talk about not being able to sleep. Some weeks you go for days without a full night's sleep. I just have a lot on my mind at the moment." Leaning into the loving arms of her husband, Minerva was almost persuaded to tell him about her morning visit to Poppy. "I tell you what. Why don't we plan to have an early night tonight? I will make sure that all of my paperwork is finished before dinner and when we return, we can play a game of chess or just spend some quality time together. How does that sound?"

Kissing the tip of her nose, then both cheeks, and finally her lips, he made her promise once more that she would stick by the plan for their evening. Assuring him that a team of wild thestrals could not drag her away, she captured his lips with her own and when he responded eagerly to her advances, she deepened the kiss. Reluctantly breaking away, she ushered him towards the door so that she could finish her work. Promising to meet her at lunch, Albus almost floated down the hallway to his office. _She must be planning to tell me tonight after dinner. I think I can wait that long._

At lunch, Minerva noticed something different in Albus' demeanor. He seemed to be overly concerned with what she was eating and the quantity of it as well. He had taken the liberty of filling her plate, almost to the point of overloading it, and had conjured her a large glass of milk to go with her usual cup of tea. Silently, she wondered if Poppy had told him about their tests earlier in the day but she quickly banished those thoughts. Her friend knew how important it would be to Minerva to share her good news, if there was any to share, with her husband. After several minutes, Minerva noticed Albus staring at her as she slowly picked at her food.

"Albus is there something wrong? You have been watching me eat for the last five minutes. The way you are acting, you'd think I was a child who had just learned how to use their eating utensils properly?" Offering him a weak smile, she waited for his response.

"Was I staring? I am sorry. It's just that some days you amaze me with your beauty and grace. Today is one of those days when I want to hold you in my arms and keep you all to myself. I am looking forward to tonight, my dear." The mischievous twinkle in his eyes told the woman that after dinner would be a special time for the Dumbledores and she was eagerly awaiting the quiet moments as well but for an entirely different reason.

In no time at all, Minerva found herself standing before Poppy waiting to hear the news, good or bad. She felt a thousand butterflies in her stomach as she watched the medi-witch examine the vile again. When she turned to face her friend, Minerva's heart sank. Obviously her test had come back negative. She tried hard to hide the disappointment in her face but the tears threatening to spill down her pink cheeks gave away her true emotions. "Well Poppy, I see that I am not going to have a little one. So that must mean that I'm just sick, as I had thought earlier. But what did your test say?"

Reluctantly and with a heavy heart, Poppy told her that the Moody's would be welcoming another life into the world this coming fall. She had tried to think of a way to soften the blow for Minerva but one look at her friend's face told her that she had failed and miserably. If truths were told, Poppy wasn't entirely sure that she was ready to have a baby but it was a little late for those thoughts now. She would have to tell Alastor soon and hope that he would be excited about their new addition. The two women sat in silence for several long moments, each lost in their own thoughts, before Minerva pulled herself together and congratulated her friend with a hug.

_To be continued..._


	2. Miracles and Answered Prayers

**_Miracles and Answered Prayers_**

The rest of the afternoon was a depressing blur for Minerva. She had not considered the possibility of becoming pregnant but when the situation presented itself, she had been overjoyed. Now she was glad that she had not told Albus earlier in the day. It would make it that much harder on her if she had to go back and tell him otherwise. Instead, she tried to focus on their quiet evening together and how much she would need his love and support. In an effort to drag herself from the despair in her heart, she came up with a plan.

In the summer before her seventh year, Minerva had learned how to knit. She had told her grandmother that she wanted to pick up a hobby but in truth she had wanted to learn so that she could knit her favorite teacher several pairs of woolen socks for Christmas. Now, those skills would come in handy as she began to knit once again. Only this time, she was knitting tiny baby booties for her friend and colleague. When Albus came into their private quarters, she quickly hid the small items in the cushion of the chair. She didn't want to risk Albus spilling the beans to Alastor before Poppy had a chance to tell him herself.

Albus couldn't help but sense the darkened mood of his wife and he tried several things to snap her from this new wave of melancholy. When he had entered the room, he noticed her hiding something but decided not to question her. He assumed it had something to do with her 'announcement' later in the evening and nothing was going to spoil the surprise for her…not even him. However, when she briefly left the room, he couldn't help himself. Sneaking a peak at her hidden work, he had to stile the laughter bubbling inside him. She was, indeed, knitting tiny baby socks, presumably for their little Dumbledore. He found it hard to contain his excitement and enthusiasm when she returned but felt he must for her.

Once again, at dinner, Albus made valiant efforts to conceal his anticipation for their special evening. He had rehearsed his response to the news of becoming a father and had even gone so far as to inform the house elves of the need for mugs of hot chocolate and cookies to be delivered upon his request. He would toast the new mother to be with a warming glass of chocolate and then whisk her off to their bedchamber for a night of passionate celebration, but only after making sure that was still allowed. In the morning, he would treat his beautiful wife to a breakfast in bed and take further steps to ensure that she had plenty of rest.

Unfortunately for him, Minerva had noticed the extra attention he was paying her today and she tried to think of the reasons why. They had not had an argument for which he needed to apologize. He was not planning to go away for an extended length of time, at least not during the school year. He had not upset her in any way, but still the question remained…why? She wasn't complaining, though. She loved him with her entire heart and soul and she would need all of his love in the next few days, as Poppy would announce her upcoming arrival. After pushing her food around on her plate for what seemed hours, Minerva nudged the dish away from her and sat quietly while the rest of the staff chatted eagerly about their day.

Minerva had always loved to take moonlit strolls around the grounds at night so it was of no surprise to Albus when she suggested that they do so this particular evening. His mind was already swirling with thoughts of her fatigue and he desperately wanted her to hurry and announce that he was to be a father. Wrapping an arm around her slender waist, he pulled her closer to his side and as she leaned her head against his shoulder, he heard her sigh.

"Minerva my dear, are you alright? You seem to have something on your mind this evening." As they stopped their walk, he turned her to face him and the sight that met his blue eyes broke his heart. She had started to cry and the more he tried to console her, the harder the tears fell. It took several minutes before Minerva was ready to speak again but when she did, Albus knew that what she had to say would not be good news as he had hoped. Leading him over to the bench on the opposite side of the lake, Minerva and Albus sat down. As his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders in a comforting move, she began to tell of her day.

"I have to confess something to you Albus. I lied to you this morning. I did not go to my office as I said in my note. I went to see Poppy because I feared I was falling ill. After several spells, we concluded that I was not sick. However, there was one test we had not done. So, I took the test and I got the results soon after lunch. But they were not as I had expected." Noticing that the twinkle in his eyes had disappeared, she knew that somehow he had already learned of her early morning visit and questioned him about it.

"My dear, do not be angry but Alastor saw you in the infirmary this morning and after a short talk with Poppy, he came to my office to congratulate us. He then told me about your test and I have tried to contain my excitement all day. But now I sense something is wrong."

"Oh Merlin Albus! This is going to be harder than I thought. You see, Poppy and I both thought that we were going to have a baby. Then when the test results came back…" Albus noticed that she was fighting back another stream of tears and pulled her to him and began to soothingly rub her back.

"I see Minerva. It would appear that we are not expecting. I'm sorry if my earlier words added to your pain. I had no way of knowing and I was so excited. Please forgive me."

Cupping his face within her small hands she offered him a weak smile. "My love you have nothing to apologize for. I should have told you earlier this morning. But there is something else. You see, Poppy also took a pregnancy test this morning and hers came back positive."

Without thinking, Albus remarked how that explained the baby booties. "I thought you were knitting them for our little one but I suppose that is what I get for assuming. But my dear, cheer up. If you want to have a child, I see no reason why we can't try to have one of our own. It might take some time, but I am sure we're both willing to make an effort." He had managed to bring back some of the sparkle to her eyes as his playful tone indicated exactly what his mind was thinking. It did his heart good to see a smile curl upon her lips, even though he knew that she was still hurting deep down inside.

But just as she was about to tell him exactly what she thought of his new master plan, an owl circled overhead and presented Minerva with a simple note from Poppy.

Minerva, come and see me immediately. I do not care what you are doing at the moment. This is extremely important and requires your immediate attention! Poppy

"Albus, we will have to continue this discussion later this evening. Something has happened and I need to see Poppy immediately. I'll meet you back in our rooms later."

After placing a quick kiss on his lips, she wiped away the traces of tears and turned to rush towards the castle. But Albus caught her wrist before she could take her first step.

"Minerva if something has happened, don't you think I should be there with you? I mean it's not like Poppy to summon someone to her office after hours. If she has learned something this evening would you not like for me to be there for both of you? After all, we're all friends and this affects me too." Not sure what to make of his comments, she assured him that it was probably nothing and that she would explain everything in detail when she returned. Giving him a reassuring look as she cupped his cheek softly in her hand, she smiled and disappeared into the night.

Back in his chambers, all Albus Dumbledore could do was pace the floor and wring his hands. He couldn't remember a time when he had been more nervous. He had thought of every possible scenario involving Poppy and Minerva and none of them were to his liking. It wasn't like the medi-witch to summon his wife to the infirmary without a good reason. And now that she had confessed to having such a horrid day, he grew even more concerned that something had gone terribly wrong with Poppy, or worse, Minerva. No longer able to control his emotions, he was headed for the door when Minerva strolled in, looking so different than before.

Within three large strides, Albus had crossed the room and scooped his wife into his arms in an enormous embrace. Returning the gesture, she suddenly began to cry once more. Pulling back to look at her face, he noticed that these tears were different than the ones earlier in the evening. This time they were streaming down a face blanketed with a smile, whereas before there had been no laughter in her eyes.

"Albus, Dearest, we need to talk." Leading him over to her favorite chair, she motioned for him to sit. When he had done as she indicated, she crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck. As she proceeded to smother him with kisses, some short and sweet, others long and passionate he struggled within himself. He wanted to know what had happened but his senses were having a difficult time focusing on anything but the woman in his arms. Finally, Minerva ended her seductive kisses and looked into his loving eyes.

He had always enjoyed the sound of her laughter but today it was even more special. With all of her energy, she leaned forward and kissed him through another round of tears. "Albus you dear loveable man. Your earlier actions explain so much from today. After our little talk, I know why you were so attentive and concerned about my eating habits. And why you carried my books and insisted on me taking a nap. It all makes sense! But there's more to the story."

Confused, Albus listened intently as the woman on his lap explained that both she and Poppy had taken a pregnancy test this morning. And that in an attempt to hide the possibility of being pregnant from her own husband until she was sure, she had thrust both vials into the same drawer when he arrived. After he left, she retrieved what she assumed to be Minerva's test and it turned out negative, whereas the other was positive.

"Later this afternoon, it would seem that Poppy's body gave her a different answer to the question of whether or not she was expecting. And this one would be hard to ignore, if you catch my meaning. That is when she began to question her earlier actions. That's why she sent me the owl this evening. She wanted me to come in and do another test to confirm what we both already knew." She went on to explain that both Poppy and Alastor had already embraced the idea of parenthood but they were a little relieved when they learned she was not expecting. They wanted more time to themselves and felt that if they waited another year or so, they would both be ready for the joyous event to happen to them. So it had really been the best possible outcome in their opinions.

Raising his eyebrows in a questioning gaze, he waited with bated breath to hear the news he had taken for granted all day long. "Congratulations my love! In a few months time, you will be a father!" No amount of planning could have prepared him for the way he felt at that moment. He had never heard any sweeter words falling from someone's lips as those two sentences that had just reached his ears. Now his own face was wet with his own tears of happiness as he pulled Minerva closer to him than even he thought possible.

Clapping his hands together, two mugs of chocolate appeared and he offered a toast to the most beautiful witch he had ever seen, not to mention the most remarkable future mother he could imagine. As planned, he scooped her into his arms and gently carried her to their bed where he laid her down tenderly and then snuggled close beside her. "Minerva, this may sound like an odd question but forgive an old man for asking. Would it be alright if I…if we..well...if we made…" Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, Minerva pulled her husband to her and answered his question with her actions rather than words.

Later that evening, Albus fell asleep cradling Minerva in his arms, while one hand rested softly on her bare stomach. In the morning, she would awake to a breakfast fit for a queen, his queen, and then they would announce to their closest friends and family the wonderful news….they were going to be parents! Both slept soundly that night with the most amazingly vivid dreams of their future together and blissful expressions covering their faces. It had been a day to remember for so many reasons but Albus and Minerva would always look back on this day as one of the best days of their lives.

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You really made our day with your wonderful comments and we sincerely appreciate each and every one of you for taking time to drop us a line.**


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